The Disappeared

grandly of a coroner's powers to apply to superior courts for orders for production of witnesses and documents, but they presumed a due process, a system of law that didn't bend to political pressure, impartial judges who looked on all agencies of the state as equal. They didn't provide for tricks, fixes, official denials and deliberate misunderstandings.

It was four a.m. when her mind finally folded. She collapsed into a chair and tried to relax her still-agitated body. There's nothing more to be gained, she told herself. You tried, you did more than any other coroner ever would. Slowly her muscles began to unwind and grow heavy. Some things are simply beyond your grasp; let yourself off the hook, Jenny.

Her eyelids began to droop. She rocked forward, meaning to take herself to bed, but instead fell into a doze, then into a deep, defeated sleep.

It felt like only moments later when she was painfully jolted to consciousness by the phone. Disorientated, she reached for the receiver and murmured a croaky hello.

'Jenny? It's Alec.' McAvoy's voice was quiet and sober.

'My God.' Jenny blinked at her watch: it was nearly four- thirty. 'Where the hell did you go?'

'I didn't think you'd get to me today ... I had things to do.'

Her thoughts came at her in a jumbled rush.

'I need you. You've got to give evidence tomorrow. I need you talk about the American - you know something, don't you?'

'I've plenty to tell you, Jenny. Plenty. I could fill a book with it.' He sounded tired.

'Alec . . . you are all right, aren't you? Pironi told Alison you didn't seem well.'

'Oh. Was this a physical or a spiritual diagnosis?'

'I'm bringing him to court to hear your evidence. There's a chance he could be persuaded to come round, at least as far as to say who made him halt his original investigation. He might even admit that he was ordered to put you away.'

'That'd be the day.'

'I think he's had an attack of conscience. Something happened this evening . . .' She checked herself. 'I'll tell you after you've testified. You will, won't you?'

McAvoy was silent.

'Alec, listen to me, listen. You have to come. I'd begun to think there was no hope, but there is still some, isn't there? . . . Alec?'

'There's always hope.'

'And when this is over, we'll talk?'

'We will. Goodnight, Jenny.'

'Goodnight . . . Alec — ' You didn't tell me why you called was what she wanted to say, but the line had already gone dead. She could have rung him back, but it would have spoiled the moment. Besides, she knew what he wanted to say, she could feel it: that she wasn't alone. He was with her.

Chapter 27

From her office on the first floor Jenny could hear the protesters chanting outside the hall. The crowd of angry young Asian men had swelled to more than thirty, but they remained outnumbered by the police. Still not a word about the inquest had been published in the papers or broadcast on radio or television. Nor had the snatching of Anna Rose and the exchange of gunfire in a motorway service station made it to the news. As far as the outside world was concerned, none of it had ever happened.

Alison knocked on the door and entered wearing an apologetic expression.

'There's no sign of Mr McAvoy yet, nor Dave Pironi. I've left another message for Dr Levin. She knows she's meant to be here.'

'What about Salim Hussain - did you manage to trace him?'

'I got an address and phone number from the university office. He's not answering. I spoke to his tutor, who says he's missed his last two supervisions.'

'When was the last time he saw him?'

'Nearly three weeks ago.'

Jenny fought back the suspicion that her witnesses were being deliberately withheld from her.

'What do you want to do?' Alison said. 'We should have sat fifteen minutes ago. Miss Denton's getting impatient.'

Jenny drew on her dwindling reserves of strength. Deep tiredness combined with the overwhelming anxiety about everything slipping through her fingers was threatening to overwhelm her medication. Her heart was hammering against her lungs.

'I ought to tell the jury something,' she said, and got up from behind her desk. 'Keep trying McAvoy and Pironi. Who knows? Maybe they're on their way together.'

Alison raised her eyebrows. 'Stranger things have happened.'

Martha Denton rose impatiently as soon as Jenny had taken her seat at the head of the courtroom.

'May we have a word before the jury are brought in, ma'am?'

Jenny could think of no reason to refuse.

Denton produced a document. 'You won't be surprised to hear that the Secretary of State has issued a certificate of public interest immunity covering the intelligence relating to the whereabouts of Nazim Jamal or Rafi Hassan during the time immediately following their disappearance.'

Alison took a copy over to Jenny. She glanced over the impersonal text and noticed that Mr Jamal looked older today, resigned.

Jenny said, 'I suppose if I demand to see this intelligence I'll be refused.'

'If it's any help, ma'am, there is a High Court judge currently sitting in Bristol who can make himself available this afternoon.'

With his appeal-proof judgement already written, Jenny didn't doubt.

'I have several other witnesses to call, Miss Denton. I'll make my decision on this certificate when we've heard their evidence.'

With a look of surprise, Denton said, 'Surely, if you don't intend to challenge this certificate, the correct course would be to direct the jury to return an open verdict sooner rather than later. Mr Skene's statement does at least confirm that the intelligence places the missing men outside the country. It's not concrete evidence, but as far as I can see it is the best evidence that will ever be available.'

'Unless I can see it, it's no evidence at all, Miss Denton,' Jenny said, prompting an approving nod from Khan.

Denton shot straight back. 'Ma'am, although it's a highly unusual occurrence, a coroner's verdict can be overturned and a fresh inquest ordered when the verdict is clearly perverse. And although it may be frustrating, without hearing the content of this intelligence the jury can reach no credible verdict other than an open one.'

Calmly, Jenny said, 'Miss Denton, my jury will deliver a verdict of their choosing when, and only when they have heard all the available evidence. That may or may not include your so-called intelligence.'

Alison appeared at the committee-room door on the right- hand side of the hall and mouthed, 'Dr Levin's here.'

'Bring the jury in, please,' Jenny said. 'And then we'll have Dr Levin back.'

Martha Denton shot a look over her shoulder at Alun Rhys and thumped into her seat. Rhys fixed Jenny with a threatening glare, but there was nothing he could do except sit and watch. The jury filed back to their places and Sarah Levin made her way out from the committee room.

She glanced apprehensively between Jenny and the lawyers as she took her seat in the witness chair.

'You're still under oath,' Jenny said. 'I've asked you to come back to help us with a few background questions that may be of assistance. Has anyone from the police or Security

Services spoken to or made contact with you since you gave evidence yesterday?'

'No.'